PULWAMA: The Director of CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu, Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, on Saturday inaugurated the annual lavender harvest at the institute’s Field Station in Bonera, Pulwama, marking the beginning of the 2026 harvesting season and highlighting Jammu and Kashmir’s emergence as a leading hub for medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs).
The sprawling lavender fields served as the backdrop for the event, showcasing one of India’s most successful models of technology-driven cultivation of high-value medicinal and aromatic crops in the Himalayan region.
Over the years, the Bonera Field Station has evolved into CSIR-IIIM’s premier centre for research, technology validation and demonstration of elite medicinal and aromatic plants suited to the agro-climatic conditions of Jammu and Kashmir. The station supports the cultivation of a wide range of crops, including lavender, rosemary, clary sage, damask rose, mint, saffron, olive, wild marigold, tulips, chrysanthemum, lilium and several other economically important species.
Addressing scientists, farmers, entrepreneurs and stakeholders, Dr. Zabeer Ahmed said the Bonera Field Station represents the transformative impact of scientific research on rural livelihoods.
“Our vision extends beyond crop cultivation. We are building a comprehensive innovation ecosystem that integrates research, quality planting material, entrepreneurship, industrial linkages and sustainable value chains,” he said.
He added that under the guidance of Union Minister for Science and Technology and CSIR Vice-President Dr. Jitendra Singh, the success of lavender cultivation under the CSIR Aroma Mission has positioned Jammu and Kashmir as a national leader in the bioeconomy based on natural products.
Dr. Ahmed said more than 5,000 farmers have diversified from conventional farming to climate-resilient, high-value medicinal and aromatic crops through CSIR-IIIM’s scientific interventions. The institute has also developed standardised cultivation practices, elite planting material and advanced distillation technologies that have significantly improved productivity, essential oil quality and farmers’ incomes.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the event, Dr. Ahmed said the Bonera Field Station has also emerged as an incubation centre for agri-startups by providing technical mentoring, business incubation, skill development and market linkages. He added that the centre is serving as the core technology demonstration platform for implementing national initiatives such as the Aroma Mission, Floriculture Mission, Phytopharmaceutical Mission, Region-Specific Smart Agriculture Mission and the Himalayan Bioresource Conservation Mission in Jammu and Kashmir.
Scientist In-charge of the Bonera Field Station, Dr. Shahid Rasool, said the facility has developed into a living laboratory where new agricultural technologies are tested under real farming conditions before being transferred to farmers and entrepreneurs.
He said the station continues to focus on enhancing productivity, improving essential oil quality, strengthening climate resilience, promoting technology commercialisation and creating sustainable rural enterprises.
The event concluded with the commencement of the lavender harvest, reaffirming CSIR-IIIM’s commitment to strengthening Jammu and Kashmir’s position as India’s leading destination for medicinal and aromatic crop cultivation and promoting the region’s growing role in the global natural products and phytopharmaceutical sector.
